What is the difference between a strong electrolyte and a weak electrolyte? Give an example of each.

What is the difference between a strong electrolyte and a weak electrolyte? Give an example of each.

• A. Strong electrolyte dissociates completely; NaCl.
• B. Strong electrolyte dissociates completely; weak electrolyte dissociates partially; CH3COOH.
• C. Strong electrolyte produces color changes; weak electrolyte does not.
• D. Strong electrolyte is a base; weak electrolyte is an acid.

Answer: (C)

Strong electrolytes dissociate completely into ions when dissolved in water, so the solution has many free charge carriers and conducts electricity very well. Weak electrolytes only dissociate partially, leaving many molecules intact and yielding far fewer ions, which makes the solution conduct electricity less efficiently. An example of a strong electrolyte is table salt (sodium chloride), which breaks into Na+ and Cl− ions in solution. An example of a weak electrolyte is acetic acid (CH3COOH), which only partly ionizes to give CH3COO− and H+ in solution. Color change or indicators aren’t the defining feature here. Whether a solution changes color depends on the indicator and the chemical reactions taking place, not on the extent of dissociation. Likewise, being classified as an acid or base isn’t what makes a substance a strong or weak electrolyte; many strong electrolytes are acids or bases, but the key distinction is complete versus partial ionization.

Strong electrolytes dissociate completely into ions when dissolved in water, so the solution has many free charge carriers and conducts electricity very well. Weak electrolytes only dissociate partially, leaving many molecules intact and yielding far fewer ions, which makes the solution conduct electricity less efficiently.

An example of a strong electrolyte is table salt (sodium chloride), which breaks into Na+ and Cl− ions in solution. An example of a weak electrolyte is acetic acid (CH3COOH), which only partly ionizes to give CH3COO− and H+ in solution.

Color change or indicators aren’t the defining feature here. Whether a solution changes color depends on the indicator and the chemical reactions taking place, not on the extent of dissociation. Likewise, being classified as an acid or base isn’t what makes a substance a strong or weak electrolyte; many strong electrolytes are acids or bases, but the key distinction is complete versus partial ionization.